The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-06-20
AGRICULTURAL PESTS.
Important Discoveries by Prof s. A. Forbes
and His Corps of Assistants.

Special to the indianapolis Journal.
CHAMPAIGN, ILL.,, June 18-Some matters of
great economic interest to the farmers of the
Tesr presented ir the report just made to
the University of Illinois by Prof. S! Forbes.
Director of the State Laboratory OF Natural
History. Several important original discoveries
Are reported that win doubtless prove of great
value to the country. The extraordinary de-
Btruction caused by insects has made the last
quarter one of unusual activity. and field work
has been earnestly carried on, chiefly by the
director, DIR. Forbes and his chronological
sistant, Clarence NJ. Weed. oil parts of the
State from Cairo to Galens, the travel aggre
eating $500 miles since March. Most of his
work has been in southerniInois where, this
year, the situation is peculiarly interesting.
The life history of that notorious pest, the
Hessian fly, is of the important sub
jects engaging Prof Forbes's attention. 1t
was found last year that frequently
there occurs brood of this fly in volunteer
wheat, and experiments were begun to test the
prsctcablity Of destroying the insect by destroy
ing the wheat ut a proper season by concert
among the farmers of any neighborhood AS
far can now be judged this new remedy will
be very successful Extensive field experiments
will be made this season to finally settle the
question.
An interesting discovery has been made to
another insect that has greatly puzzled the en-
tOmOlOgtStS
the common green fly" of house plants and
which often does great damage to corn. 1t is
the corn plant louise, or aphis mordis OF authors.
Its winter life has remained mystery. But
early this spring there found in the nests of
very common brown ant in corn fields some
small black eggs, evidently of some species of
plant louse These being isolated and Matched
produced young plant lice. which proved to De
the species commonly infesting Thus
the mystery was cleared upp The very pc.
louise Is this: The eggs are carefully
collected and preserved all winter by
ants in their nests. In spring when they hatch,
the ants carry them in their jaws to the roots
OF young grass plants, from which they have
first cleared away the earth. The BABY louise
sticks it's bill into the grass root and sucks It's
juice, shedding its skin every few days for about
a fortnight when it is grown. 1t then gives birth
to young lice which soon develop and fly away
to corn fields. where other ants care for them
But il the corn is growing before the first brood
of lice are full grown, the ants transfer them to
the corn from the grass roots
Professor Forbes states that southern Illinois
Is this overrun with injurious insects.
In some places the Hessian fly has done great
damage to tho wheat crop, while in others the
first planting of corn almost wholly taken
by cut-worms, which in some localities also ate
garden vegetables, oats anc grass with equal
relish. Some fields OF oats etfectually
cleaned out as If n moving machine had been
run over them close to the ground However it
is hopeful fact that an epidemic dis
caused by bacteria appeared and
carried the worms off by thousands.
This disease is to cut worms what Asiatic chol-
era 10 70 the human race IL has recently been
found destroying great numbers of army worms
in jackson county. The subject is being elabor-
Rtely studied by DR.. Forbes and his assistants,
and experiments being made to see whether
these bacteria cannot be propaeated and used for
destroying the great farm posts generally
Ono of the chief causes of the dying OF many
meadows in southern Illinois, as perhaps over a
wide territory has recently been found to be an
insect never heretofore reported as seriously in
jurlous In America, though allied species are
sften frghtfully destructive In England The
insect is the young or larva of the common large
mosquito, which eats off the grass roots just be-
Dow the surface of the soil.
Your correspondent also was informed that |
the chinch bug is again working havoc through
put large part OF the territory infested last |
year, and experiments have been begun to test |
the influence and value of various fertilizers in
Importing the farm crops against their attack. |
The corn-root web worm, insect that has |
been known to entomologists few years only |
has made an extraordinary outbreak throughout |
a large portion of the State, both north and |
south, and has increased with such rapidity that |
thousands of acres Of corn have been destroyed |
this season. Field and laboratory experiments
have recently been made which indicate that
the arsenical poisons may successfully check its
rayaces- Among many Investigations and ex-
periments at the laboratory of an economic nat
ure are an attempt to prevent the injuries of |
the codling moth or apple-worm by the use of
lime. a study OF the best remedies for tina white
grub, and the investigation OF the life histories |
BIZ various furious tnsects
Many original Investigations are being pur-
sued for the purpose of adding to the sum of hui
man knowledge. OF special interest are a series
Of studies of the animal life OF the lakes OF liii
pois, aud for the continuance OF them
DR.. Forbes will establish this summer |
Temporary station on one OF the lakes OF north
srn Illinois, which will be fully equipped Tor
careful and thorough aouatie work, especially
among the lower orders OF aquatic life Consid
prable progress has been recently made In work
Ing over the collections of previous years, and it
ls hoped TO soon publish a general account OF the
AXE fauna of the State.
Microscopic studies have been made of the
minute anatomy of the brain of certain blind
Irustacea, ms compared with that of those that
Ian sec also OF new species of various insects of
different orders. and OF certain families of para
site fungi.
Steamship News.
NEW YoRK, June l9.-Arriyed; Labourgogne,